March 29, 2024

State water quality efforts progress through Woodchip Bioreactor Partnership

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Progress in Illinois water quality stewardship is the priority for a five-year Woodchip Bioreactor Partnership between Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of Illinois’ College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

The partnership broke ground on its third bioreactor installation, the second to be installed in Henry County through the partnership, in keeping with its goal to install at least five woodchip bioreactors over the state beginning in 2017.

“The main purpose of this project always has been to help farmers implement edge-of-field practices to further reduce nutrient losses from their field tile so we can improve water quality statewide,” said Lauren Lurkins, IFB director of environmental policy. “Each partner represented here brings its own strengths and expertise to the table, all of which have been instrumental in fulfilling that purpose and reaching success through the life of the partnership.”

The project studies the water quality improvements woodchip bioreactors can achieve based on NRCS designs. Following each installation, ACES researchers monitor the woodchip bioreactors for a number of years to collect data and study the improvements made to water quality.

“Denitrifying bioreactors are a relatively new practice, and our agency uses research that’s gathered from installations such as this to develop conservation practice standards and refine them over time,” said Matthew Robert, Illinois NRCS agricultural engineer. “It’s exciting work to implement bioreactor designs in combination with farmer viewpoints, contractor viewpoints and new research data to continue to improve these projects according to what’s happening on the ground here in Illinois fields.”

A woodchip bioreactor — essentially a trench full of woodchips — cleans nitrate out of tile drainage using the natural process of denitrification, said Laura Christianson, U of I assistant professor of water quality.

“Our research team is focused on data that will provide solid evidence of how well these kinds of conservation practices work and how to make them work better so they are more worthy of the time and investment. Taking an active role in environmental stewardship is important so that Illinois farming remains sustainable far past any one generation’s time here,” Christianson said.

As part of the woodchip bioreactor partnership, Illinois LICA is involved with site feasibility investigations to make sure a woodchip bioreactor is a good fit for an operation, said Ryan Arch, ILICA executive director.

“Education — that’s really our bread and butter. Concerted, collaborative efforts like this help give our contractors the tools, education and training they need to help their clients achieve their goal of keeping nutrients on the field and ensuring Illinois’ water is as clean as possible,” Arch said.

The project stems from the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, which was released in July 2015. The NLRS tasks wastewater treatment plants, urban areas and agricultural areas with reducing the state’s phosphorous load by 25% and its nitrate-nitrogen load by 15% by 2025; the eventual target is a 45% reduction in the loss of these nutrients to the Mississippi River.

“If we can work together to connect our farmers with these projects that contribute to science, support water quality research, refine conservation practice standards and help address the financial needs of installing bioreactors for private landowners, then everybody wins,” Lurkins said.

The installation of the Henry County woodchip bioreactor capped off IFB's series of virtual field days this summer. To learn more, visit www.ILFB.org/FieldDays.